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dated September 11, 1956: Yellow haze on Mars

Astronomers around the world on September 8 reported a clear view of the planet Mars as it whirled by in its orbit just 35 million miles away - reaching its closest point to the earth for over 30 years. Mars tilted with its South Pole towards the earth, showed a vast yellowish cloud to the watching scientists as its most clearly visible phenomenon. But observers were not wholly agreed on how the cloud was caused. Soviet astronomers reported greenish Martian seas, great dust storms forming a yellow haze and light brown areas on the rim of the South Polar icecap. One observer saw colours akin to those of early spring vegetation on the earth which "once more gives evidence of the high order of plant life on Mars." Astronomers at the Melbourne Domain Observatory saw "an orange red ball with Polar caps like the earth and greenish in places." Dr. E.S. Slipher, an authority on Mars, watched on a television screen a little white bouncing object, no bigger than a golf ball but representing Mars - 4,220 miles in diameter and more than 35 million miles away. With the naked eye Mars appeared as a scintillating orange pin-point of light. Through a telescope, vague lines could be seen.

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